If you really want to catch 40 winks, the best place to go may be—Bad Kissingen, Germany? The Huffington Post reports that the docile European town is so fond of its shuteye that it is “making a move for its residents to return to the natural sleep cycles that elude many of us living in a constantly-connected digital world.”
Citing a recent Atlantic article (The Town that’s Building Life Around Sleep), the Post is reporting in its introduction to the “top five” that “sleep deprivation not only contributes to serious health hazards, but also costs American corporations an estimated $63.2 billion a year in lost productivity.”
In response, some places in the world are actually prioritizing sleep on a large scale. Las Vegas probably won’t sign up anytime soon, but other places may follow the lead as sleep continues to assert its importance in overall health.
If the renaissance is to begin, it will likely start in the following five locations.
Bad Kissingen, Germany
“The town of Bad Kissingen, Germany is making a move for its residents to return to the natural sleep cycles that elude many of us living in a constantly-connected digital world.”
Tokyo, Japan
“Japan has been ranked as one of the world’s most sleep-deprived countries, but if you’re a woman in need of a nap, Tokyo is a good place to be. The Japanese do nap more than other countries (perhaps to make up for getting less shut-eye at night) according to a 2013 National Sleep Foundation poll, and Tokyo is opening up spaces where urban dwellers can go to squeeze in their daily nap.”
Ikaria, Greece
“Beyond Ikaria, the daily siesta is a time-worn custom throughout Greece that keeps the country’s population happy and healthy.”
Mexico
“According to the National Sleep Foundation’s International Bedroom Poll, which studied the sleep habits of six different countries, Mexicans get more sleep than residents of United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Germany and Japan, clocking in an average of seven hours and three minutes of sleep per night during the workweek.”
Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary, Brisbane, Australia
“Koalas need more sleep than almost any other animal, spending upwards of 18 to 22 hours a day dozing off. At Lone Pine sanctuary in Brisbane, the first and largest koala sanctuary in the world, you can come observe the marsupials getting their nap on for most of the day.”